Dreams of Red
by Hiei Jaganshi Urameshi
Summary: Redheads have been vanishing, and not just in Ningenkai. Some of the desidens from Makai have gone missing too. Can Yusuke and his team of heroes save the day? Or will those like Shuichi Minamino be missing forever? Chapter 6 up. Constructive critisism we
1. Prologue: Wish Upon a Fallen Star

Dreams of Red

Recap of 'Wish Upon a Fallen Star'

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho, Yami No Matsuei and Inuyasha do not belong to me, they belong to their respective creators, and I am just borrowing their beloved creations.

On With the show.

From the darkness, two figures approach the audience. After a while it becomes obvious that it is Hiei and Yusuke. Yusuke starts to read from the card that I, as the author, had prepared in the past.

Yusuke: Welcome readers, both old and new, to the Wishes and Dreams Series. It is a group of fanfics written by our delightful lady, Hiei Jaganshi Urameshi.

Hiei: For those who haven't read 'Wish Upon a Fallen Star' this is for you. So you do not get lost to how certain things came to be. Right, Yu-chan: Yusuke nods, reddened by the term of endearment that Hiei had placed upon him: We learned in the first chapter that our new enemy was one of Youko Kurama's long-dead paramours, a bat demon by the name of Kuronue. Not to mention that Yusuke can't spot flirting when it is pushed in his face. We also met Asato Tsuzuki and Hisoka Kurosaki, his Shinigami partner. They helped us out during the fight with Kuronue and his cronies. Our reward for good behaviour was a few hours at an all-you-can-eat sweet snow parlour.

Yusuke: Ice cream for those not versed in Hiei-speech. : Hiei sends Yusuke a glare that would kill 100 men, but it blows by without fazing the oblivious Toushin: From there, a few days later, we met Kazutaka Muraki. Muraki, we would soon find out, was our true enemy, not the puppets he threw around like Kuronue and Karasu, but I'm getting ahead of the story. From him we learned that if he were killed, then Kuronue would die too, a fact that Youko Kurama wasn't too happy about. It seemed that the Shinigami had a history with the mad man so we questioned them… Kurama questioned them and the whole history behind Hisoka's death came to be.

Hiei: I still have to thank Kuronue for returning when he did. I stole my first kiss from your delightful lips as you slept peacefully in that tree. Although I would have preferred some interaction on your part, I just couldn't resist. : Easily avoids Yusuke's attack: Hey, it was just the once! However hearing Kuronue's tale was heart breaking. I almost cried, you know. However the following day was blissful though, we were alone, Youko was off ingredient searching. Feeling your body against mine felt divine, and that was just the fight. The result after that, the taste of your mouth that day would have sent me straight to Spirit World had I not have been so grounded. : Hiei looks at Yusuke from the corner of his eye, seeing pink grace his cheeks. Score:

Yusuke: Though why you still hate Keiko, I don't know, I still can't believe that Muraki was so obsessed with Kurama's past, first Kuronue, then Kurama, what was the guy thinking? Thanks to pacifier-breath we learned that that soul was missing too. Then there was that little deal that we did. I can't believe that it was partly what made me see sense. Without it I may never have realised how much I cared for you.

Hiei: I still can't believe that you were so happy to go in a relationship with me. It made me the happiest I had ever been. Well up until that point.

Yusuke: Hiei, we're in a better relationship than we ever could have had been in then. However I can't believe that we almost broke up over a little misunderstanding when we sparred. Talk about over reaction we were both as guilty as the other then. You're so over-protective you still need to learn that I'm not a china doll but your learning. It was because of that fight that the others took drastic action. We both woke up with sore heads. I guess that I should have said that Kuwabara took drastic action. He still needs to get his comeuppance yet. I woke with a lovely surprise. Two days later, not only had Kurama returned but also the cure for the curses was ready and it worked on both human and demons. I still can't stop thinking about that Hell you described. Is there really such a desert: Hiei nodded, making Yusuke gulp visibly:

Hiei: I never guessed that Keiko would ever cheat on you. At least you were splitting up with her, not with me. It was all thanks to you that I revealed myself to my sister after she saw you wearing my stone around your neck proudly. : Hiei gave another side-glance in Yusuke's direction, crimson eyes enflamed with desire: However I remember the night best of all. We had a lot of fun then, didn't we? I seem to remember that you enjoyed everything that we did together, some more than others, but you were always satisfied in the end.

Yusuke: Such a shame that Karasu spoiled it by stealing you away. I could have killed him. : Yusuke paused for a moment, seeing Hiei shake his head: Wait a minute I DID kill that vampire wannabe, didn't I? I remember the horror of seeing you under Muraki's spell, however once I was sure that it was Muraki and not you in control, I had a lot of fun. Teasing one that has no choice has its own rewards. I am sure that his frustration could be felt from miles around. It is such a pity that we missed watching him killed. However that was more than made up for when we became mates, didn't it?

Hiei: Indeed, detective. : He touched the mark on the joining between neck and shoulder: It was so nice to finally belong to you, and to own you in return. It was blessed by the touch of the Goddess Benzaiten after all. Forever yours, in your arms I call my home… I remember somebody telling me that before. : Yusuke pulled the demon against his body, holding him close: I thought you said that you'd behave, Yusuke.

Yusuke: I told a lie, so sure me. : Yusuke leads Hiei back into the shadows, sending the audience a wink:


	2. Youko Without Kurama

Chapter 1: Youko Without Kurama

Disclaimer: See Prologue

An injured person ran through the streets of Tokyo, pain seen in his golden eyes. He was in agony. The injuries he carried would have been enough to kill a normal man however this was no normal person. A normal person didn't have fox-like ears with an equally fox-like tail, nor was their eyes gold in colour and hair a brilliant silvery-white. The figure slumped down at the bottom of a door, pressing against the button, sounding the buzzer off inside the house. Another man answered the door, this one was wearing black to the other's blood-stained white, his wings matching the other's tail and his long, pointed, ears matching the other's fox-like ones. The eyes scanned the area, and almost closed the door when he felt something tug at his trousers, looking down and following the pale, slender, arm to an injured body and face that he knew all too well. "Youko Kurama!" He shouted as the body slumped onto the hallway carpet.

Youko Kurama's eyes opened and looked around the room. He felt secure, tucked up in the bed. His wounds were bandaged up and stitched where they were required. "I'm sorry that I couldn't do more. I'm not as good at healing as you are, and Yukina wasn't available. Kuwabara has gone missing so she and her twin have gone looking for him. Yusuke is in the living room if you wish to speak with him." Youko Kurama shook his head. "I'll let him know that you're awake. I am sure that he will be happy to know that his friend is okay."

"Kuronue, I don't feel okay. I feel as though part of me is missing, that I am only half me." He started to sit up, but pain stopped him. "Why do I feel like that?" He asked as Kuronue stroked his hair.

"Try changing into your other side. I hope that I am wrong, that the scent is just off because of the injuries, but I fear that I'm not." Kuronue said gently as he pulled back allowing his fox the space to change. He could feel Youko concentrate his energy before he cried out, energy spiking all around him, as he was unable to find his other self within him. Even Yusuke could hear the despairing cry from the fox demon. He ran through to the bedroom to see Kuronue holding Youko Kurama tightly.

"What's wrong? What has happened?" He asked, seeing the horrified expression on Youko Kurama's face.

"It is as I feared, Shuichi is missing from Youko Kurama's body." Kuronue said. "Half of him is gone and not even Youko can reach him." Yusuke stared at the pair when he felt Hiei's mental touch.

'Yes, Hiei, what did you find out?' Yusuke asked his mate.

'Absolutely nothing, we haven't found that idiot and nobody has seen him. It's as though he disappeared into thin air. Yukina is very worried. What has happened on your end?' Hiei asked. 'We're almost at Kuronue's now.'

"Kurama is missing. We have Youko, just not Kurama.' Yusuke said pacing the room. To Kuronue it was obvious that he and Hiei were in contact with each other. 'Somehow he was removed, and if someone can do that, then we're in trouble.'

"Speak to Yomi. If anyone knows how to do this, then he would." Youko said as he regained some of his composure.

"Hn, Mukuro would be better. She managed to bring both myself and Shigure back from certain death." Hiei said as he jumped in through the open window, placing his upset twin on the ground before walking over to Yusuke. He knew that Yusuke felt bad now, knowing that they were the only couple 'together'. "Yusuke and I shall visit Mukuro if you want." Kuronue nodded.

"Myself and Youko shall do the same to Yomi. Hopefully one of us will get good news." He said in reply. "The little lady would be best to remain here, just in case either Kuwabara or Shuichi returns here." Yukina nodded. "Let us leave together when Youko Kurama is better." Yukina walked over to the bed-ridden kitsune.

"Please, Youko Kurama, let me use my abilities to heal you. That way you could concentrate on getting your energy back." The Koorime said, smiling when Youko nodded. He knew that she needed to feel useful, and this was the only way that the girl could be. She pulled the covers off of Youko's body, slightly blushing when she saw that Youko was naked, however she removed all the stitches from the deeper wounds and concentrated her energy. Slowly the wounds began to heal, the deeper ones scarred over. Youko placed a hand on her head.

"Thank you, Yukina, Kuwabara is lucky to have such a caring girl as you to call his." He sat up, pulling the sheet to cover himself. "Now, where is my clothing?" Kuronue looked at Yusuke, who left the room, returning with the clothes that he had mended as good as new. He placed them into Youko Kurama's waiting arms. "Did you mend these?" He asked, Yusuke nodded.

"I've had plenty of experience mending my own clothing. My good-for-nothing mother never did it. She was too busy drinking to care." He watched as Youko Kurama dressed in the mended clothing, moving to see how the cloth reacted. "So what do you think? Would I make a good seamstress?" The room burst out in laughter, and the laughing got worse with the look on Yusuke's face.

"As long as you are my seamstress I'd be happy. However, I thought that you'd be seme for longer." It took a moment for Yusuke to decipher what Hiei had said and once he had, he started spluttering in indignation. Hiei silenced him with a kiss. "Shut up, dear Yusuke. Your mouth is out pacing your brain. Again." He pushed Yusuke into a chair. "Sit down, love. Do something useful and hold me." Shocked, Yusuke did as his love demanded, hearing the contented rumblings of Hiei; Yusuke deemed it safe to start playing with Hiei's hair. The fire demon always gave his version of a purr when they were alone, and Yusuke fondled his silken, raven hair. For a moment the demon went silent before he started to purr in enjoyment. Youko looked over to where the unusual noise was coming from and smiled.

"Seems that we have another friend with a hair fetish." He said to himself. They were so happy together, and he was struck by a pang of sorrow. He hadn't realised how much Shuichi had meant to him until he was no longer there. He wondered what his other half was doing now.

Shuichi's eyes slowly opened. He felt as though he had been ripped in two. Then with a stark realisation he knew that he had been, just not physically. He couldn't feel his other half's presence at all. Not even a glimmer. That really hit him like a bucket of icy cold water. For the first time in a while, Shuichi Minamino was afraid.

He had always been with Youko, even before his birth. He didn't know who he really was. He sat up, his head feeling itchy and his ass was sore, and not in the way that he would have preferred it to be. Scratching one of the itchy spots, he tugged at something growing out of his head. It hurt. Seeing a mirror, he gingerly walked over to it and saw a pair of fox-like ears sprouting out of his head and he had a feeling that he knew why he was experiencing an uncomfortable sensation at his rear. He removed his trousers and felt some relief, and seeing a flick of red from the corner of his eye, he sighed. There, swaying in the sunlight was the tail of a red fox.

He turned, looking around the room and saw three other beds. They all had occupants; two of whom he recognised as his friend, Kuwabara and the little wind master Jin. The third bed contained another kitsune. He looked as though he was in his mid twenties, then again so did Youko Kurama and that crafty fox was well over a thousand years old. He walked back to his own bed and sat down. It didn't take long for him to feel the bed move as another sat beside him. "Excuse me, sir, but who are you?" He heard a voice ask and he looked over at the other kitsune. "I have never seen you before." Shuichi looked at the kitsune and smiled.

"I am Shuichi Minamino." He said. "I am human, or at least I was part human. I don't know what has happened to me, but I seem to have taken a kitsune form, like my other…" He stopped speaking, not realising that the other was still intently listening to his every word. "Your other what?" He asked, before seeing tears in the other's eyes. "Come on Shuichi, please tell me. It pains me to see another kitsune in such pain, and maybe telling another will ease it." He said, "Oh, I forgot to give you my name. I'm Shippo by the way." Both kitsune smiled at the other.

"Well Shippo, I guess I better tell you more about me." The green eyes looked down. "I'm part of another… or rather another is a part of me. I played host to a fox demon named Youko Kurama for all my life until this moment." He could see shock on the other's face. "I can see that you know of him." Shippo nodded.

"He was well known amongst my family. His name was always spoken with reverence. He was almost a god." He smiled at Shuichi. "To meet one that held him within his body is as much of an honour as meeting the Youko himself. However it is strange that you still hold a fox form when you say that you were once human."

"I can only guess that Youko Kurama changed my D.N.A. to make my human body more comfortable for his demonic energy." He could hear a noise from behind him, from another bed as Kuwabara started to waken. "You're awake, Kuwabara, that is a blessing." The look that he got from Kuwabara was priceless.

"Did you get sick of your whiteness Youko Kurama?" He asked confused by the colour of the other's hair.

"I'm not Youko, Kuwabara, I'm all Shuichi. I don't even deserve to be known as Kurama as you know me by, since the thief is no longer within my body." He saw a plant near the barred window and walked over to it. "Please show me what the outside is like." He requested of the plant, sending a tendril of his energy through the plant, using the energy to see all around the plant and sighed. "We're surrounded by spikes, no chance of surviving the fall. I don't even have the butterfly glider plant's seeds with me to help to escape."

"Well, that's not a problem for a wind master like myself." Jin said as he walked over to the window. "I'll escape and tell the others where you are." Jin pushed against the window, but was electrocuted. "Well, so much for that bright plan." He said from where he was twitching on the ground, his hair still sparking. Shuichi sighed as he returned to his bed.

'Just great, we have a guy that knows all about us holding us captive. For all I know, he could have Youko trapped in one of these rooms. I can't leave without knowing for sure if he is here or not.' He looked at Shippo. 'Not to mention that this kitsune could be a spy, ANYONE could be a spy.' He heard a laugh come from the door. "Who is there?" He asked.

"Your captor, of course. How are you feeling, Kurama, or should I now call you Shuichi?" The male voice asked. "Some of my loyal subjects are bringing you some food. Please behave when they enter, I would hate to have to starve all of you into submission." Shuichi growled, fangs bared and he wasn't the only one. Shippo was just as angry. Slowly the door swung open to reveal four figures, two male and two female. Shuichi knew three of them, and didn't know the fourth. Yukina, Touya and Kuronue. The other was a human female unknown to him; then again he didn't know every female. Shippo filled in the space.

"Kagome!"

* * *

Author's Notes: Well that's the end to the first chapter of Dreams of Red. I hope that you like it, please read and review. All reviews are eagerly accepted. 


	3. Setting off to Makai

Chapter 2: Setting off to Makai

Disclaimer: See prologue

Note: This is set in Yu Yu Hakusho's (and Inuyasha's modern time) time frame, 500 years after the Feudal Wars in Japan. This means that Shippo is roughly 550 and Inuyasha is 700. Therefore don't expect to see the humans from the Feudal era in this fic.

Anyway on with the fic

Hiei hugged Yukina tightly. "We shall return as soon as we can, Yukina." He said to his twin. "Take care of things here. What's this?" Yukina pressed a package into his hands.

"Some food for the journey." She said with a smile. "Your cooking is terrible, and I don't think Yusuke's would be much better, so I made you a couple of meals that you can heat up once you have a fire burning." Hiei accepted the bundle of food that his sister gave him. "Take care, and return safe. I don't want to have to worry about my brother too." Yusuke hugged Hiei from behind.

"Don't worry, Yukina, he has me to protect him now. Right, Hiei-chan?" The fire demon blushed furiously, making Yusuke laugh lightly. He knew that he got off with it because the others weren't there to see him. "We will both return safely. I promise you." That made the ice apparition smile. "Just keep an eye out for the others and let us worry about getting answers out of Mukuro. Come on, Hiei, the others are waiting for us." Yukina gave both Yusuke and Hiei another hug before they left. "So how will Mukuro take the fact that we're mates?" He asked Hiei before they met Youko Kurama and Kuronue.

"She would be surprised, but accept it. She had full access to my thoughts, dreams and fears. She knew that I wanted you, so it would be the fact that I got you that would surprise her." Hiei was the first to see the others and they both soon caught up with them. "Ready to go?" He asked as he fell in behind Yusuke. The others nodded. "So what are we waiting for?" He asked as he ran off in the direction of the Demon's Gate portal that would take them to one of the middling plains in Makai, the place that held so many memories for both himself and Yusuke. The first time that he had allowed his desire for Yusuke to be seen by others, or rather Kurama had looked straight through his fighting into his soul. The anger that he had held for Sensui had been tremendous. And the joy of Yusuke's return made him feel elated, not to mention he allowed the forbidden love, as he saw it, to finally take hold in his soul. Yusuke was a demon, he had realised, and the union no longer would hurt him after a mere 70 years.

"Hiei, Hiei are you even listening?" Yusuke said, as he saw Hiei looking distant in his arms. Slowly Hiei realised that he was no longer moving, but being held. He moved so he could lay his head against Yusuke's chest. Smiling, Yusuke held him, as he seemed to be peaceful. "Go on. We will follow you once Hiei has stopped reminiscing over the past." He said to Kuronue and Youko Kurama. "After all you both have farther to go than we do. We shall be back at my apartment when we return to Ningenkai. We shall see you then." Both of the other demons nodded as they entered the portal. "Come on, Hiei, we need to go too." Hiei nodded as he jumped into the portal, followed by Yusuke, who changed his appearance the moment that his feet touched the other side.

"HOKUSHIN!" He shouted and a moment later his second-in-command appeared. "Hokushin, arrange a search party." He pulled out the picture of the group that he always had on him and pointed to Shuichi. "He is missing from the human world, and although he may have some semblance of demon energy, he would be much weaker than he was. I want to know if he is safe or not." Hokushin nodded.

"I shall send a search party out for the young human, my lord. May I ask why you are with the heir of Mukuro?" He asked, making Yusuke sigh. "He isn't holding you captive, is he?" He asked, attacking Hiei before noticing the mark on his shoulder.

"Hokushin, he is my chosen mate!" Yusuke shouted. "He will be given as much respect as I am given by those of my lands." Hokushin abruptly stopped his attack, seeing the Koorime stone around Yusuke's neck.

"I am sorry, my lord. I shall arrange the search now if you will allow me." He said as he disappeared as quickly as he arrived.

"As much respect as you?" Hiei asked as he faced Yusuke. "You're asking a lot from your people, Yusuke. Are you sure that it isn't too much?" Yusuke laughed and hugged Hiei to him.

"It's a little too late for them to disagree, isn't it?" He asked as he kissed Hiei lightly. "Anyway we need to get to Mukuro's fortress to get her help in looking for Youko's missing half. So which way, my guide?" Hiei ran off in the direction of Mukuro's fortress. He could feel Yusuke behind him, his eyes… he looked behind him.

"Eyes off of my ass, and on the road ahead." As though the spoken word had some effect on what was happening, Hiei felt his foot get caught in a hole ripping tendons as his footing slipped. Yusuke quickly caught up with him and looked down at his mate. The pain was there, throbbing in the back of his mind as it was in Hiei's ankle. He knelt beside him as Hiei pulled his foot free. "See what happens?" Hiei asked as he concentrated on healing the tendons. Yukina had started teaching him some healing techniques, something that he would have scoffed at before. Then he felt Yusuke lift him onto his back.

"I know that you hate looking weak, Hiei, but we can get there while you're healing that ankle. It was my fault anyway." Hiei sighed, knowing that Yusuke wasn't going to let him down.

"Follow the river north and it will lead us to Mukuro's fortress. This is her source of water." Yusuke did as Hiei had suggested and started off again. Hiei felt so comfortable on Yusuke's back that he started to doze off, until he felt Yusuke slow down.

"I can't believe that it was so close." Yusuke said in awe. "I had to run for three days straight to get to my… to get to Raizen's residence." Hiei slid to the ground.

"Mukuro lives in the upper section of the Makai. Her portion was the closest to the opening that we passed through. The S.D.F. dropped you off in your home territory, as far away from your ancestral father as possible. You would have covered a great distance every day just to get to him." Hiei approached the gateway and glared at the guard that was going to refuse him entry. "I do not suggest that you try. Mistress Mukuro won't be happy that you tried to prevent her heir from approaching." The guard pales at the thought of the punishment that Mukuro would inflict upon him. A more senior guard approached and bowed.

"Lord Hiei, it is a pleasant surprise to see you. Are you here to see Lord Mukuro?" Hiei nodded. "Please enter." Hiei did so, but when Yusuke moved to follow, he was stopped at the gate.

"Let him enter." Hiei said.

"I am sorry, my lord, however no visitors are allowed within the fortress walls without the Lord's permission." Hiei sighed and walked out again.

"Then please tell Mukuro that her heir awaits her at the gate with Lord Yusuke." He walked back to Yusuke and smiled. "You don't mind if I take my shirt off, do you? It's getting rather hot and I think if I lost the shirt, I'd feel cooler." Yusuke only nodded, however Hiei didn't see the nod as his usual coat, along with the shirt off. Stretching his muscles, he could see Yusuke's eyes glued to his body, not to mention the eyes of the guards. Moving purposefully so the mating mark could be seen to the watchers, Hiei wrapped his arms around Yusuke's neck. "Aren't you feeling even a little hot?" He asked Yusuke, seeing sweat roll down his face. "Here, let me." He said as he pulled off the other's shirt, baring Yusuke's body too. Again the mating mark was clearly seen. "Much better, even if you aren't hot, I still like looking at your body, and absolutely adore it pressed against mine." He followed his words by pressing against Yusuke.

It didn't take Mukuro long to get to the gates, but by then, the scene had seemingly broken down into almost an open air sex show, one that was quite captivating, even to her. The way that both moved against each other was a sure sign that there was more than just the show between her heir and Raizen's Son. Were Hiei and Yusuke now lovers too? Or were they even more than that? It took her a few moments to catch the telltale marks on their bodies before she was sure. They were mates, of that she was now sure. "Why are you both frolicking out here when there are perfectly good beds indoors?" Hiei looked up and saw Mukuro watching him and Yusuke. Kissing his lover he stood up, constantly keeping in contact with the other.

"My mate wasn't allowed entry, and any problems with my mate is a problem with me." He pulled Yusuke to his feet. "If I can enter freely, why can my chosen partner not be able to do the same?" Mukuro nodded.

"Yusuke Urameshi is allowed entry. Anybody seen disobeying that directive must be reported to me immediately." She turned to Hiei. "I am sorry to ask this of you as you have just arrived, but there has been a disturbance in the forest of tears, and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind checking it out." Hiei nodded and left. "Now that we are alone, Yusuke, there are a few questions I need answering. What are your intentions towards my heir?"

"The same intention as there was when I made him my mate in the first place. I love him, and never want to be parted for him for long. I learned the hard way that I cannot live without him." He replied.

"Last I heard from Hiei, you were in love with a girl names Keiko Yukimura. What has changed in that time and this?" She asked next.

"Apart from realising how much more Hiei means to me than Keiko does, nothing much. I am still the same Toushin that I was before I left here last time. I have just grown up and realised that I cannot always allow my heart to be deceived as it had been with Keiko. I realised that although my mind thought as a human's would, my heart was truly that of a demon." Yusuke's eyes met hers. "It is hard to ignore the happiness that I found when I was in Hiei's presence. Although we fight, that I cannot deny, we learn more about each other when we do. I barely think more of Keiko than I do Kuwabara or Kurama. She is no more my lover than they are. I am Hiei's through and through. I love him even when he is in a bad mood. I love belonging to him." Mukuro smiled.

"Then you are indeed worthy to hold him, Yusuke. He needs somebody to call him their mate. Now why have you both visited me? I am guessing that there was another reason other than the fact that you have chosen him to be your mate." Yusuke nodded.

"Two of our friends have gone missing, Shuichi Minamino. The red head that defeated Shigure in the Tournament, also a human by the name of Kazuma Kuwabara, the chosen partner of Hiei's sister. We were wondering if you had seen them." Mukuro shook her head.

"I would have been told if the human was in my land, and as for your other companion, my men would have noticed the strength." Yusuke shook his head.

"Youko Kurama and him have somehow been separated." He explained. "However, could you please keep a look out for them. Have you got any machinery that could have done that separation?" Mukuro thought for a moment.

"I do, however very few people can work it. I can find out when it was last used." Then Hiei returned, glaring at Mukuro for lying to him. "Please follow me." She walked in the direction of one of the out buildings. "This is one of the few machines that could do such a feat. Only I, Shigure and Minate could ever work it." She pressed a few buttons and a list appeared on the screen. "There was an unauthorised use of the machine three days ago." Mukuro searched the chambers and saw a single white hair in one and a red one in the other. Using the console she looked at the result of the separation and motioned for Yusuke and Hiei to approach the console. "It seems that you are looking for a red kitsune, a red Youko Kurama if you will." Both Yusuke and Hiei nodded.

"Thank you, Lord Mukuro." Yusuke said as he bowed to her. "I'm so sorry that we cannot stay longer. Yukina is awaiting our return, however I would love to return again some day if it is okay to you. I would dislike to have you as an enemy." Mukuro nodded as she accompanied them back to the gate.

"I look forward to your next visit, mate of my heir. Remember to take good care of Hiei, Yusuke." Yusuke grinned as he pulled Hiei closer to him, as though telling her not to worry. Mukuro smiled as she saw the satisfied smile on Hiei's face. 'Hiei, although I still hold some reservations about you and Raizen's son, I cannot deny that you both share a deep love for each other. Take good care of him, Hiei, and visit soon.' Hiei nodded as he turned and led Yusuke back to Ningenkai to wait for the return of the others

Author's Note: Please read and review. A huge thank you goes out to All Things Anime, my avid reviewer, thank you for sticking with the series so far!


	4. Fox, Bat, Dog and Ice

Chapter 3: Fox, Bat, Dog and Ice

Disclaimer: See Preview

"What a waste of our time." Youko Kurama said as he stalked ahead of Kuronue. "I was sure that Yomi would have known something. I hope that Yusuke and Hiei have found something of more use." It had already been a week and it would be a few more days before they made it back. Then the fox demon paused as he heard two voices shouting two different names and headed towards them. He recognised the shortest of the pair as being Touya, the ice master and Jin's companion. It seemed strange that he was now looking for his partner, the other person that Touya was with seemed to be a dog demon, although not entirely by his scent. He was a hanyou half dog demon and half human, just as Yusuke was half Toushin and half human. "Who are you looking for?" He asked as he showed himself. "Maybe we could offer our assistance."

It took a moment for Touya to recognise Youko Kurama, but his face showed relief when he did. "Thank goodness its you, Youko Kurama, I can't find Jin anywhere. Last time I saw him, he was following somebody who looked like your friend, Kuwabara. He said that Kuwabara was carrying… well… you." Youko Kurama's eyes opened wide in shock. "It happened just outside Mukuro's place." Youko nodded before turning his gaze to Touya's companion.

"What about you, half breed?" He asked as memories started to surface. He didn't hear the other's answer as he dropped to the ground.

Flashback

Kurama ran through the streets. He was being chased, and his pursuer was still on the tail. He heard the gruff voice call his Spirit Sword, his Rei no Ken, and knew that he would have to fight his chaser. Releasing his inner fox mid stride, he pulled a rose from his hair, however before it changed into the Rose Whip he felt two slashes in an 'X' over his back. Turning, he finally changed the rose into the whip, however his attacker avoided the crack. He knew the attacker well. It was none other than Kazuma Kuwabara, Yukina's boyfriend. His eyes were glazed and unfocused, as though he wasn't in control of his actions. Who ever was in control seemed to be a master swordsman; he gave Youko no room to attack but landing plenty of slashes. The attacks led up to the final, deep, abdominal wound and being knocked unconscious by being thrown, head first, into a brick wall.

End Flashback

Youko Kurama opened his eyes to find himself being carried over the edge of Yomi's territory. He then felt the dog demon drop him to the ground. "If you're awake, then you can walk." He said, his own eyes scanning the area. "We have a long way to go and you have slowed us down by sleeping most of the day." The others started to run ahead, Youko following close behind. It took two days to get to the portal to take them back to Ningenkai.

"I'll go on ahead to tell Yusuke and Hiei that we have returned with a few people to help us look." Youko Kurama said as he disappeared into the night. Yusuke and Hiei lived in one of the more lavish parts of Tokyo; at least Youko thought that it was lavish. It had three bedrooms, each fully furnished to sleep two people. He stopped in front of the apartment block that Yusuke's apartment was among, but couldn't remember if he was in 14 or 15. Shrugging he opened the door to number 15 and before he knew what was happening a girl screaming 'Inuyasha' and threw herself into his arms.

Hearing the shout the three others ran to the apartment in time to see the girl landing a kiss on the shocked Youko's lips. "Kagome?" The dog demon asked. "Kagome, is that you? Why are you kissing that kitsune?" The girl pulled away and looked over at the door to see the shorter, stockier, dog demon and blushed. She ran over to the dog demon, embarrassment forgotten, as she whispered his name. He hugged the human girl. "It's a long story." He said before they asked. "One that is best kept for a rainy night." He tightened the hold on the human. "Now, you were going to introduce me to this Yusuke and Hiei?"

"That would be us, I'm sorry, Youko, but I couldn't help myself." Yusuke said as he showed the instant picture that he had taken. Seeing Youko's reaction, Yusuke stepped behind the smaller Hiei. The fire youkai snickered.

"You got yourself in this mess, therefore you can get yourself out of it. However if he decides that he wants more than a few drops of your blood, I'll step in." His red eyes looked the other hanyou over. "I, however, am more interested in the reason Sesshomaru's hanyou, younger, brother is doing in the human world." Inuyasha glared at Hiei, who stared calmly back. He saw Inuyasha's hand move to his sword. In a flicker of movement Hiei's sword was at Inuyasha's throat. "Now, now Inuyasha." Hiei said bemused. "Never attempt to draw your weapon on me, or mine. Not unless you are prepared for the consequences of that action." Proving his point, he pressed the blade slightly harder against the skin, slightly cutting it enough for blood to run over the blade. Another flick and the sword was replaced back in its scabbard, and Hiei turned his back on the hanyou. "I am faster, and stronger, than you are, Inuyasha. I can defeat 500 demons of your class in one sitting. My mate, younger than I, is equal in strength to Yomi. What would you expect of the true descendant of Raizen, once ruler of all Makai?"

Inuyasha's eyes flickered from one face to the next. He had heard of a small group of elite warriors that were powerful enough to defeat some of the most powerful youkai known in the worlds. He had heard of Yusuke Urameshi, the leader of the team who won the last Ankoku Butsukai. Was this Yusuke the same as that one? He had heard of the others too: a banished half-breed Koorime, a reborn kitsune, one of the previous winners of the Dark Tournament and a dumb human. He looked at the door and saw a girl looking in; the one named Hiei approached her and told her to go back to the apartment. That sealed the facts. These were the same group, no matter how the facts were dressed up. "Hiei Jaganshi, Yusuke Urameshi. Two members of the infamous Team Urameshi." Hiei smiled slightly as he pulled off the wrappings that sealed his Jagan Eye and stared outside. Back in the room Inuyasha could only stare at Hiei's back. He was in the same room as Mukuro's chosen heir. Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's arm.

"You know them?" She asked quietly. She had lived next to Yusuke and Hiei for only a few days and knew them to only keep themselves to themselves. She never realised that they, like Inuyasha, were demons, or part demons at least.

"I know _of_ them. Hiei is a Jaganshi, a master of the Jagan Eye. He has honed the full extent of the powers of the fake eye that he had implanted in his forehead. He can do something that no other person has lived to claim to have done. He has a semblance of control over the most uncontrollable attack available to a fire demon, the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. Not only is it uncontrollable, but also Hiei isn't even a full fire demon either, it is said that he is half Koorime, half Ice Maiden. It is said that 20 years ago a child was discarded from the Ice Lands, a child born of a Koorime, and imbued with the power of his sire, a powerful fire youkai." He turned her to face Yusuke Urameshi. "He is Yusuke Urameshi. If what Hiei said is true, then he is half demon, like myself. With one exception: he is the descendant of a Toushin demon by the name of Raizen, until a few years ago he was one of the Three Kings of Makai, the Demon World, and up until 300 years ago, he was the only king of the Makai. As his body lost strength so did his group. He became malnourished when he refused the staple food of his kind, humans. When he died Yusuke became King in his place, and it was left down to him to hold the uneasy peace between the three kingdoms. Instead he held a tournament to see who would be the best ruler. Before the demons had always been ruled by the strongest and Yusuke brought it back below that singular control."

"I have been living next to royalty and I never knew!" Kagome said, as she looked Yusuke up and down. "If I had known…"

"You wouldn't get close enough to do anything more than bow." Inuyasha said looking at Hiei. "He wouldn't have let you. Look at Yusuke's right shoulder and tell me what you see." She looked and saw a mark. Telling Inuyasha he nodded. "It means that Yusuke already belongs to someone, and not just to anyone, to one of equal strength or greater. In this case his mate is in this very room, and if you still have no idea which one he is, it's Hiei." He watched as Hiei left the window, shaking his head.

"Then I guess that we go to Makai." Yusuke said simply. "We don't have a lot of choice. Every day is ripping into Yukina's heart. I don't know what you both feel for Kur… Shuichi but things are getting out of hand now."

"Then we should separate into two parties." Kuronue said. "Hiei in one party and your demon compass in the other, Yusuke." Yusuke shook his head.

"The compass was taken back when I lost my position as Reikai Tantei." Yusuke said. "Unless we have another Jaganshi hidden in our number then splitting up is going to be useless."

"Maybe I could help. I don't know how much you know of Feudal Japan, but my soul was once that of a priestess guarding the Shikon No Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls. Some of Kikyo's abilities still remain, and although they haven't been used in a while, I am sure I can brush them off. Have you anything that belongs to the missing ones?" She asked. Yusuke ran from the room, returning with the red hair found in Mukuro's place. Taking the single hair from Yusuke she closed her eyes and concentrated. The picture she saw from it shocked her. "A kitsune! This hair belongs to a kitsune, very similar to you." She said pointing to Youko Kurama. "Maybe not as tall, but definitely like you, only red." Youko covered his mouth. Had his demon energy changed the human so much as to make him a demon?

"Maybe we should wait before some time before leaving. It seems that Kurama needs some time to get used to the look of his other half." Yusuke said as he touched the shoulder of the stunned Youko. "Let's leave noon tomorrow, it gives us plenty of time to get things ready. So we have two able to sense the missing demons, Hiei and Kagome. I'm not leaving Hiei so you can stop thinking of separating us."

"I have travelled with Kagome before, and I shall do so again." Inuyasha said, not wanting to leave the young human's side.

"I and Youko Kurama shall travel with Inuyasha and the human, Yukina should accompany you, Hiei. If you take Mukuro's old lands we shall take Yomi's. I take it that you already have your spies searching for them, Yusuke?" Kuronue asked. Yusuke nodded.

"I do, however Hokushin doesn't know the new developments. Not only is he looking for two humans, but also he doesn't know about the two demons that we are now also looking for. However all I need to do is call him once we are in Makai and I can update him. We won't have to worry about my lands needing to be searched. Hokushin is very reliable. He was Raizen's second, and he is also mine." He saw Hiei glare at him. "I can't expect you to turn your back on Mukuro, Hiei, and I know that you would never turn your back on me. That is why I cannot allow you to be my second. It compromises both Mukuro and myself. My mate and also her heir, it is hard to be both."

"There is no choice. You are mine and, in return, I am yours. So what if I am Mukuro's heir? If she attacks your lands, it is an attack on you, an attack on my mate. My priority is you, and Mukuro knows that. I won't support any attack against her lands, but I also cannot turn my back on you because of it." Hiei said as he left the apartment, returning to Yusuke's. Yusuke stared after his mate and looked at Youko. Youko shrugged, saying nothing and Yusuke left the room too, following his mate.

Later that night Kagome went for a walk in the nearby park, stopping under a tree she looked up at the stars. She had never thought that her path and Inuyasha's would ever entwine again, not to mention that of many other demons too. She had never thought that there was a world that was full of demons, yet the group had spoken of it as though it was nothing. She realised that it probably was nothing, considering that all of her new companions seemed to be demons. She then noticed that a leg seemed to be hanging down from one of the branches and climbed the tree to see who it was. Once at the branch she saw Yusuke and Hiei sound asleep, Hiei holding Yusuke in his arms. They looked so sweet together. "What's the matter, Kagome?" Hiei asked opening an eye as Yusuke slept on, unaware of the conversation.

"I couldn't sleep and thought a walk would do me some good. I guess you both couldn't sleep either." She said as she sat on the branch.

"I don't like crowds. Yusuke followed me." Hiei said as he stroked Yusuke's hair, making the half-breed nuzzle his chest. "You should go back in, Kagome. There are dangers out here at nights, and I don't think that you would like to be caught by one of the demons that lurks in the streets after dark." Kagome nodded and returned home as fast as she could.

Author's Note: And the moral of this chapter: Never walk into an apartment that you are unsure of, lest you get confused with the gorgeous hanyou that the maiden left 500 years previous. Again please read and review!


	5. Held Captive by the Heart

Chapter 4: Held Captive by the Heart

"-" is vocal communication '' is mental communication

On with the show!

Shuichi sighed, his captivity had already lasted longer than a week. They had been fed by their loved ones every day. However the fox knew that something wasn't right. There was something… off. He looked at Shippo, who was currently sleeping in his fox form, then he looked at the others. They seemed happy to remain as they were as long as their loved ones were okay.

Leaving the room, Shuichi walked to the toilet. His clothing had been changed into something similar to Youko Kurama's. a gift from Kuronue. However the cloth was a blood red trimmed with gold. His green eyes looked almost sad as he finished his business in the toilet. He wanted to believe that the one that served him dinner was the true Kuronue, however something told him differently.

As he approached the door to the room, Shuichi could hear painful moans coming from the other side. Noticing it ajar, he pushed the door open and the sight before him shocked him. There, chained up like a dog, was Youko Kurama, his other half, before him stood a white tigress. Facing Shuichi she smiled, her sharp teeth glistening in the candle light of the room. "If you're going to stay, come in and close the door. If you are not, close the door on your way out." She dragged her sharp claws down Youko Kurama's chest. "Either way I am going to have fun with my fox." Shuichi entered the room and closed the door. The tigress' smile widened. "It was fun before, now it shall be even more so. You and he were one and the same. With Yusuke Urameshi, Hiei and Kazuma Kuwabara you defeated the Four Saint Beasts." Her eyes narrowed. "You allowed a mere human to destroy Byakko, my father." Shuichi's eyes widened as her claws ripped into Youko Kurama's flesh again. Neither he nor Youko had known that Byakko had descendants. "My name is Byanka." She motioned to the table. "Please sit and help yourself to some tea and scones." With a vicious swipe she knocked Youko Kurama unconscious.

"Why are you hurting him?" Shuichi asked as he poured himself some tea.

"My master doesn't like white foxes, especially kitsune." She said. "Personally I prefer the painful screams of the red variety, much more despairing and delicious I have to admit." Her eyes glittered as he ran towards the door. "Master said that I can have fun with you if you are a bad foxy. I look forward to seeing you in here Shuichi Minamino." Fleeing the room he could hear Byanka's crazed laugh and a pained scream as she slashed Youko Kurama again.

Shuichi ran into the bedroom and dived onto the bed, ears flat against his skull and tears running down his cheeks. If he were a Koorime he would have been worth a fortune. "What's the matter, Shuichi?" A concerned voice asked. "What happened? You can tell me." Shuichi looked at Shippo.

"Whoever has us captive also has a white tigress, named Byanka, torturing Youko Kurama as we are kept here. If my other half is treated like that, then what are the others being condemned to?" Shippo stroked his hair.

"I am sure that all is fine, Shuichi. Why would they harm Youko Kurama anyway? It would be bad policy if they did. I'm sure that they'd rather you to be happy than angry." Shuichi nodded.

"You're right, Shippo. Maybe I was seeing things. Maybe I wanted to see him so badly that any situation was preferable to not seeing him at all. I just took things too far." Shuichi said with a slight smile. "I just wish that I knew what Youko Kurama was doing. I miss him so much." Shuichi closed his eyes as a memory started to surface, and it wasn't a pleasant one.

Flashback

Shuichi first felt the physical pain caused by the separation, following that came the mental turmoil when the agonised red kitsune saw the white kitsune, then his surroundings. One of his best friends was standing before him and a not-so-close friend slumped against a wall. He knew that they weren't alone. There was another in the room, even if it was a spirit. A if he knew that Shuichi knew that he was there, the bodiless entity entered the body of Kuwabara , and using the body he released Youko Kurama from his prison. Picking up the taller kitsune, the human left the room and didn't return for a while.

Shuichi banged against the chamber walls, trying to escape from his prison, but the walls refused to give. "It's no use, Kurama." He heard Kuwabara, or rather the creature, say. "You can't escape, so don't try. I don't want any damage to your wonderful body." Then he left Kuwabara's body and possessed Jin instead and disappeared only to return a few moments later. He then took Kuwabara's body once more and released Shuichi before possessing him. Shuichi struggled to no avail.

'Who are you? What do you want?' He asked, trying to get free but the spirit tightened its grip.

'I am Kagotsuchi, lord of the fires of Reikai.' The spirit said in reply. 'I want your body, Kurama, or one of those I hold. I am tired of being without a body, having lost mine after my mother died. You seem nice and strong, maybe you will be the one I shall have. A god in the body of a demon, that would be nice.' The spirit said. 'Now all you have to do is sleep, my little friend.' He said. The next thing that he remembered was waking up in the room he was in

End Flashback

"Reveal yourself, Kagotsuchi!" Shuichi shouted. "You're not tricking me anymore, murderer!" An eerie laugh resounded through the room. "I remember what you did to me, what you made Kuwabara do to me." A ghostly figure appeared like a person-shaped flame.

"So one remembers." He said. "However I am no murderer. I simply released the one I didn't want. He was alive the last time I saw him." Kagotsuchi laughed. "Your human friend has a strong body, then again Youko Kurama was light." He snapped his fingers and the mirror changed to a monitor showing their friends back in Ningenkai. "Hard to believe that they met by accident. I'll leave this on for you to watch if you desire. Dinner shall arrive shortly." Kagotsuchi said before disappearing.

"Bastard, I'm not done with you yet!" Shuichi shouted. "Your scheme won't work!" Shippo stared at Shuichi while Jin and Kuwabara both approached him, seeing the agonised look on his face. He looked at them both and started to cry. Kuwabara awkwardly held him, trying to imagine that it was his beloved Yukina, not a red-haired, fox-eared guy. "Do you remember anything at all?" Either of you?" Both shook their heads. "Kuwabara, you attacked us, by that I mean myself and Youko Kurama, you were under the influence of that sorry excuse for a god. We were brought to either Mukuro or Yomi's place where myself and Youko Kurama became two separate entities. From there we came here, and you know what has happened since then." Shuichi approached the monitor, watching Kurama and Kuronue. The pair seemed worried and scared, and lip reading, he knew he had been mentioned. He wanted to go home.

Author's Note: Wrll what do you think? Updates will be a little sparce now as I have just got a job, however I am not giving up on these fics! Keep reading and reviewing please! 


	6. Meeting the Lord of the West, Sesshomaru

**Chapter 5: Meeting the Lord of the West, Sesshomaru**

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Youko Kurama snarled as everyone converged in Yusuke's meeting hall. "So this was just a waste of time? They could be dead by now." The kitsune paced back and forth, he wasted Shuichi back, he wanted his other half. Kuronue wrapped his arms and wings around his mate. "I am so scared, Kuro. What is we're too late? What if Shuichi is dead?"

"It's fine, my beloved Youko. This wasn't such a waste of our time though. We now know that Shuichi is neither in Ningenkai nor Makai, that leaves us two worlds that they could be in; Meikai and Reikai. Koenma keeps a close watch on Meikai and I am sure that he would have told us if there was any unusual activity. Therefore we can safely assume that he is in Reikai." Kuronue said with a smile. "Once we have our way in, we can search Reikai top to bottom. We will find our friends, my Youko, and make the guilty party pay. Now, who would be able to get us all in there?" It was Inuyasha who spoke up.

"You could try my half-brother, Sesshomaru. I know that he is the most likely to be able to help us." The hanyou said. "However I know that he won't do it out of the goodness of his heart, and because I'm involved things may be more difficult. We aren't exactly close as a family, in fact we are as distant as distant can get. He doesn't exactly like the idea that his younger brother is a half-breed and can wield the Tetsusaiga."

"He is still sore that your father left the sword to you?" Kagome asked, shocked that the feud between the two brothers spanned five centuries. "Surely in five hundred years he has managed to accept the fact by now." That made Youko Kurama laugh.

"You don't know that much about demons. A five hundred year old feud is quite common amongst demons. Lords Raizen, Mukuro and Yomi fought for that long. Raizen and Mukuro fought for longer." Kurama explained as Hiei started to sharpen his katana. "A feud is a feud, but not all feuds are irreparable, look at Hiei and Yusuke. They have broken down the feud between their groups by taking each other as the other's mate." He watched as Yusuke sat beside Hiei and leaned against him. "Maybe we should pay your brother that visit." Kurama said before he smiled at the pair, knowing that Hiei wouldn't be able to resist.

"Yeah, take is there, Pooch." Hiei's comment made Inuyasha growl and the others laugh.

"Stop calling me that! My name is Inuyasha!" Inuyasha said as he led the way to his brother's, knowing that Sesshomaru may not be too happy to see him.

Deep in the lands of the west of Makai, Sesshomaru became aware of intruders in his territory, and one of the scents carried to him on the wind was none other than his half-brother. It was definitely Inuyasha, and he was bringing others straight for him. "Jaken, who are the intruders in my lands?" He asked his servant.

"It is Inuyasha, my lord, and it seems as though he is bringing emissaries from the three kings, or rather from two of the three kings and taking the third to you. He also has the human priestess that he was with 500 years ago, a bat demon, a young Koorime and a male ice demon." Jaken said as he looked through the scrying mirror, one of his newest acquisitions. "It seems as though the three less important demons are retainers."

"Let them approach. I would like to hear what the three are wanting to ask of me. It must be important if the three are representing their respective kingdoms." He looked down at his replaced arm." I owe Lord Mukuro for the return of my left arm. I still cannot believe how well her machines work. My arm was reconstructed back to what it once was."

"Hey, mutt, are you sure that your nose is working, or are you intentionally making us walk in circles?" Hiei asked, making the group stare at Inuyasha. "Or maybe it's 'that time of the month'?" Inuyasha growled, this was why he hated travelling in groups, especially with knowledgeable demons such as Youko and Hiei.

"So when does Yusuke lose his ability to access his demonic powers?" Inuyasha asked as he sat on the ground. The night had started to quickly close in, and as the light faded when it became night, the white hair turned black as he changed from demon to human. "Come on, all hanyous have the same weakness." Yusuke's eyes opened in shock and looked at Hiei, who sighed.

"I lose my ability to use my youki?" Yusuke asked Hiei, who nodded. "Wow, I guess that it is good that I rarely use my youki, but it is worrying that I may reach for it one day and find it gone." He said quietly, trying to think of a time that he had tried to access his demon energy and it not being present. However he couldn't recall a single time. "Maybe I do, but I just don't realise it. I never really take my true Toushin form unless I have to." Yusuke said with a shrug. Then he, along with the other demons, heard the bushes move as three figures approached them. Inuyasha groaned, trust Sesshomaru to turn up when he didn't want him to.

"What brings Lords Yusuke, Hiei and Kurama to my lands?" Sesshomaru asked as he approached the group. " Have the old kings set aside their differences? What can I do for all?" Yusuke laughed. Was this what was known as hospitality amongst the dog demons.

"This is strictly personal, Lord Sesshomaru." Yusuke said. "We travel as a group purely because it made sense as we were all looking for missing friends. We have established that those we seek are neither in Ningenkai nor Makai." He draped an arm over Hiei's shoulders. "Myself, Hiei and Kurama know each other through working together. Now will you help us willingly, or will we have to beat you into submission?" That made Sesshomaru laugh coldly.

"Do you really think that you, or any of those with you, could?" The full-blooded dog demon said, and both Yusuke and Hiei stepped forward to take him on, but Youko Kurama stopped them going further and shook his head as he approached the shorter dog demon.

"I will happily take on that challenge." Kurama said as he stopped in front of Sesshomaru. "However I request that you remove Tenseiga. I want a fair fight and a sword of life and death tips the balance in your favour." The fact that Youko Kurama knew about the Tenseiga surprised both brothers, but Sesshomaru brushed the fact aside.

"Very well." He said as he removed his sword. "However I have a request for you also. That you will not use kitsune illusions." He said as he handed the sword to Jaken. Kurama simply pulled a rose from his hair.

"You have me mistaken for a red kitsune. My kind is that of the spirit foxes. We are nature demons, not tricksters." He then laughed quietly. "So you share the same characteristics as any other dog? Poor colour vision." With a flick of his wrist the rose turned into a rose whip.

"Kurama just get on…" The rest was muffled as a vine securely gagged Hiei, earning the spirit fox a nasty glare. Ignoring what Hiei was going to say, Kurama's tail swished in the breeze as he continued to stare down the other demon, before cocking his head, as though telling Sesshomaru to start whenever he wants.

"Trust me, Sesshomaru, everything that you see and feel will be all too real." It was then that the human woman accompanying Sesshomaru ran over to try to get the pair from fighting when a vine snaked out and wrapped around her waist. Kurama chuckled. "You better tell your girl to stop her struggling, or you'd have to use that wonderful sword on her to bring her back to life. I will protect myself from harm, be it from demon or human hands."

"Let Rin go, kitsune. This is between us, and not our allies, don't you agree?" Youko nodded and released Rin from her prison and Hiei's mouth from it's gag. Yusuke grabbed Hiei before he could attempt at attacking the fox as the pair faced off once more.

It was Sesshomaru who attacked first and Kurama countered, using his speed to avoid the attacks of the other demon. As was his style, he studied what Sesshomaru did, gauging what his next attack would be, however he wasn't the only one watching. Sesshomaru was no fool, and although he didn't know Youko Kurama personally, he had heard of the fox's calculating mind and he knew what his adversary was doing.

The fight lasted some time before Sesshomaru started to wonder if it would ever finish, and decided that he needed to finish the fight soon before the dawn appeared and changed to his demon form. The large dog then looked down at the smaller kitsune, and Kurama yawned, before he too changed into his other form. The two 'animals' faced off against each other, the larger dog pounced at the smaller fox, however the fox was nowhere to be seen. 'Desist, Sesshomaru. I could finish this battle in a single bite.' Kurama said telepathically. 'Trust me, you'd never survive.' Sesshomaru stopped and told Kurama that he yielded. Leaping off of Sesshomaru's back, and both returned to their more human forms.

"So tell me why the fight would have been over." Sesshomaru said as he replaced the Tenseiga where it belonged. Youko only smiled and spat out a small black seed, a seed that Sesshomaru recognised as a Death Plant seed. A single bite would have introduced the seed in his blood stream and from there death would occur without his Tenseiga. "You are correct, that bite would have been the end of me. I'd never have known." He looked at Yusuke, realising that he was somehow the leader. "What do you require of me?" He asked, straightening imaginary creases in his clothing.

"Lord Sesshomaru, our request is that you help us get into Reikai to look for our friends." Yusuke said. "Then to take us back, either to Ningenkai or Makai." Sesshomaru nodded to the request.

"I have to see Lord Koenma anyway." Sesshomaru said as he started leading the group towards his 'castle' "If Kurama lets me know when you are ready to leave and also your location, I shall get there as soon as I can." Yusuke nodded, agreeing to Sesshomaru's request.

"That sounds reasonable." Yusuke said. "However can we not leave until tomorrow." He requested, looking at Inuyasha. "Your brother isn't exactly at his best until the dawn. We're all ready except him." That made Sesshomaru laugh.

"So I see, maybe my little brother needs a good teacher, and doesn't learn the way by which I teach." Sesshomaru said. "Please make yourselves at home." He said as his home came into view, allowing the others to stare at it's magnificence. "It was one of the castles belonging to my mother." Sesshomaru explained as he saw the shocked looks on his guests' faces. "Very few dog demons remain alive since the feudal era, most having been killed by enemies soon after we were all sealed in her by the Kekai barrier set up by the Reikai. It has been over two centuries since I have last seen a full-blooded dog demon at all." He entered the castle carved from the edge of a mountain. "As far as I know myself and Inuyasha are the last of our kind."

The next day Sesshomaru woke the others early. "I hope that you are ready to go. We should leave soon." Moments later and everyone was up and ready to leave. "Remember to tell me when you are ready to leave Reikai." He said, leading the others out and then he changed into his dog form. "Get on." He said and started running before he leapt into the air, the Tenseiga creating a portal for him.

They landed just outside the entrance to the fortress where Koenma lived. "Thank you, Sesshomaru." Yusuke said as they dismounted the dog. "We shall let you know as you requested, and I hope that you get what you want, Lord of the West." Hiei smiled to himself. Finally Yusuke was learning to treat other demons of power with the respect that they deserved. He removed the ward from his Jagan Eye and searched the area.

"They're here, everyone." He said "Where they are being held is a good day's walk to the west, so I suggest we have a good run. Good news is that we don't have to cross the River of the Dead." It was then that Youko threw himself into Kuronue's arms, hugging him tightly. Finally they were going to get their other lover back, and they weren't the only one that seemed glad. Everyone seemed to be glad that they were soon to be reunited with their lost friends.

'Just wait a little longer, Shuichi, we're coming.' Youko said telepathically. 'Tell the others that we will be there as soon as we can.'

'Youko Kurama?' A soft reply came. 'You're really alive? Thank the gods of mercy! Are the others there with you? Is Kuronue okay?' Shuichi questioned. 'Please be careful. A fire god named Kagotsuchi is holding us. I fear that if you fought him, he may use us against you. He is in a spirit form, and so he won't be easy to defeat.' He said informing the Spirit Fox. 'Take care.' With that the connection was cut.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Youko said with a snarl. "We need to get there to get them back.."


	7. The Rooms Where Nightmares Are Made

Chapter 6: The Rooms Where Nightmares Are Made 

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

It took a few hours of straight running for the group to get to Kagotsuchi's mountain 'retreat'. Standing out with the fortress the group stared in awe. Without help it would be difficult to get anywhere near the group held captive. At first the whole area seemed barren of any kind of plant life. However Youko's plight seemed to reach deep within the burned plant life, making it spring to life once more, to the Youko's call. Reaching out to the plants, Youko could 'see' an underground passageway leading into the fortress, however it could be extremely dangerous. If Kagotsuchi was aware of their presence, being trapped underground could spell the group's doom. Anything could happen, and how could they hope to face a God's wrath if they did. Especially if he was a spirit like Shuichi had said.

"There is an underground passage leading in, however it is dangerous to attempt, especially if the God holding our friends captive knows about its presence." Kurama said, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. "To get within that way we would need a distraction on the outside." Yusuke and Hiei nodded in unison.

"Leave that to us, Youko Kurama." Hiei said as he looked at Yusuke, whose arm had snaked around his waist. "Although we would prefer to get in with you, we would happily remain here and provide the distraction that you need." Hiei bared the Jagan Eye once more and also reached for the seal holding the Dragon quiet, when Kagome stopped him.

"Let me try something first." She said as she reached for the bow and quiver of arrows that she had taken with her. "I need some rope, or something similar." Youko removed a seed from his hair; it was a poison green in colour and when activated by his youki, a long, twisted vine was a result. "Even better." She said as she tied one end of the vine to an arrow. "Keep a hold of that end please." She then took aim with the bow. "Answer to my need, please get over the drawbridge!" She said as she fired the arrow, and as the miko asked, the arrow flew over the top of the drawbridge. "The rest is up to you, Youko Kurama." She said, and Kurama manoeuvred the vine to move along the inside of the drawbridge until it found the lever to open the drawbridge with, and then it turned the lever until the drawbridge opened, allowing them access.

"Good thinking." Youko said simply as he recalled the vine, turning it back into the seed it had been. "Now all we need to do is find our friends and get away." The kitsune said as he crossed the drawbridge, and the moment he entered the fortress, the heat stunned him. The fortress was burning hot. The moment that the others entered they felt the same, apart from Yukina, Touya and Hiei, who seemed to cope with the excruciating heat with ease. However they got blessed relief when the two ice demons called on their element to ease their burden. Now able to walk along the corridors, they arrived to their second obstacle, A wall of fire stood in their path.

"This is mine." Hiei said as he approached the wall. "Being a mix of fire and ice does have its advantages as you surely remember, Yusuke." He said seeing Yusuke running forward. "Zeru's fire barely touched me, and Seiryu's ice never remained long. I'll find out what is on the other side of this wall." With that Hiei walked through the inferno and laughed. "My, my, this is only an illusion." He said from the other side. "There is no fire on this side at all." With that the others followed Hiei through. "I think this is a God that has learned a few things from the kitsune." The group continued until they came across eight doors and statue in the centre. Hiei read out what was inscribed. "Welcome to the castle of illusion and flames." He started. "I hope that you find it as amusing as I do watching its victims suffer. You must separate up and enter these rooms. More I shall not say." Yusuke glared at the statue.

"I don't like this at all." He said as he looked at the doors. What was Kagotsuchi trying to accomplish. "What has he planned for all of us?" He held Hiei tightly to him. "What do these rooms do, and why are they here?" He punched the floor, making others wince. "I hate it when things are like this." Hiei laughed at Yusuke's tirade.

"What did I tell you before, Detective? You rely too much on the help of others." He looked around the group. "This looks to be the only way to get through the corridor." He looked at the doors. "Kagotsuchi left us with plenty of clues as to what to expect from here on in. 'Welcome to the castle of illusion and flames'." He quoted. "Once we go through these doors we cannot truly believe a word any of us say. We could be illusions, and to that end we need to be careful." Without any further words, Hiei opened the first door and closed it behind him, the others followed soon after.

**Hiei's 'trial'**

Hiei looked around the room he had entered, and around him was a group of people, hate burning in their eyes, their hate aimed towards him. A chant started of 'Kill him' started, however Hiei walked through them, keeping a hand on his sword the whole time. That seemed to make them afraid. When he got to the centre of the room, there he saw the most horrific scene of his nightmares. Before him, pinned down and close to death, were both his sister and his mate. They both called out for him to help them, but Hiei knew that if he did, that he would only join them. Instead he forced his body to ignore their pained calls, chanting 'It's only an illusion' to himself as he forged ahead, determined to get out of this hellhole. However he couldn't help but allow a single tear to fall from his eyes as he left them to their fate. They may be illusions but they were illusions of those he loved dearly.

Hiei exited the room without too much bother. He knew that it was an illusion, and nothing more. His mate and sister would never be caught by mere humans the way that they had. Yusuke would lay them out cold before that happened. He turned and saw seven other doors and knew that this was the exit of the rooms, sitting on the floor he awaited the arrival of the others.

**Yusuke's 'trial'**

Yusuke entered the second door and found himself in Koenma's office. It looked so real that he almost thought that he was there, except that the Koenma behind the desk was in his teenage form, not the toddler like one that he was usually wearing when in private. "Yusuke, did you hear anything of what I said?" 'Koenma' asked. "I said that Hiei has to be eliminated. He has killed a human. He has killed Keiko, your pregnant wife." Yusuke's blood ran cold. Something wasn't right about this, Hiei was the one that he was mated to, and Keiko was nothing more than an ex-fiancée. Even Koenma knew about that.

"Fuck off, illusionary bastard." Yusuke said, his glowing in anger. "I am not that easy to fool. I am Hiei's mate, not Keiko's husband." With that he turned and walked out of the room, knowing that at least that illusion was a dud. However he couldn't but think of what Koenma had said. Hiei could easily kill humans without a second thought; or rather he would have done in the past. He knew that Hiei had changed and nothing that Kagotsuchi could make up could change that fact.

Leaving the room, he saw Hiei sitting on the floor, resting his head on his arms. Yusuke made his way over to Hiei and pulled Hiei into his arms. He didn't know whether Hiei was real or not, but he did know that he wanted to hold his fiery apparition, and if this was a fake then it was better than nothing.

**Kuronue's 'trial'**

Kuronue took the third door, and found himself back in the bamboo forest, the place of his death. He was running by Youko Kurama's side once more. Leaping over the next trap hole in the ground, the pair stopped for a rest, Kurama showing off the magic mirror that they had stolen from the castle. On this occasion they had stolen the mirror for another, and they would be well paid when they returned with it. However once they started to run again, the mirror dropped from Youko's hands. "Damn!" Youko shouted as he stopped and turned back.

"No, Kurama, it's too dangerous for you to go back there!" Kuronue shouted, but the shout seemed to have no effect on the kitsune. "Why should we risk our lives for that thing? We can get it back later. For now, let us save our own lives." Kuronue started running again, but it quickly became obvious that Kurama wasn't following him. He stopped in time to hear a cry of pain. "Kurama!" He ran back the way he came, in time to see bamboo shoots flying towards his kitsune lover being run through by many of the shoots. He ran forward to try to free Kurama, not seeing the other bamboo flying towards him until it was too late. With a gargled scream he felt the shoots stab through vital organs. Hiei's words rang deeply in his mind then. 'Kagotsuchi got me!' He sent telepathically to all that would listen to him. 'I am sorry, my beloved Youko.' And with that Kuronue took his last breath.

In the centre of his darkened room of illusion lay Kuronue, his body pierced through by bamboo shoots. The sprites of death clung to his still form, feasting off of his remaining youki and soul.

**-Intermission-**

Kagotsuchi watched as the first three faced their fears in his rooms of nightmares. "Hmm, that Hiei is quite intelligent." Kagotsuchi thought to himself. "Yet his warnings went unheeded by the bat demon. This is actually fun to watch." He piped the scenes in the rooms to his captives' room, quickly showing what had occurred and waited.

In the captive's room the four watched as their friends took on Kagotsuchi's trial, and when Kuronue 'failed' Shuichi cried out in pain. He cried not only for himself but also for Youko Kurama who would feel the pain too. The others could only hope and pray that the others would listen to what Hiei had said.

**-Back to the trials-**

**Yukina's 'trial'**

Yukina took the next door, and the sight before her was a familiar one. It was of the sacrificial cliff where any male children born to a Koorime was… disposed of, but what was she doing here? That was quickly answered.

Yukina could feel herself being carried to the edge of the cliff, held in Rui's arms along with her older twin. Why was she being carried here with her brother? What had she done that was so bad? "Let the choosing of the Imiko and the one that shared the womb with him commence." The old Elder said, and she could hear Hina, their mother crying out for her and her twin, and she replied by crying for her mother. Her twin, Hiei, was silently accepting his fate. The seals on the wrappings held his silence as well as his fire abilities. Rui laid the twins on the icy floor and tucked the tear gem into her wrappings as well as Hiei's. "Hina, you can choose which of the children you carried that you wish to keep. The other shall be sacrificed, the choice is yours, Hina."

The Koorime was dragged forward towards both of her babies, and she knelt before her son and daughter. "I can have many daughters, but I shall have only one son." Yukina heard her mother say as she lifted Hiei into her arms, holding him tightly to her breast. "I won't let you sacrifice him." With that Hina turned her back on her daughter and left, leaving her screaming daughter behind. When Rui lifted her again, she could only see the cold, icy, face of her mother's best friend.

"You can't do this!" She tried to scream out, but it was only the terrified wail of a baby that knew of its fate. "Rui, I am a Koorime! I'm like you and mother! It should be Hiei here and not me!" However it didn't stop Rui from kissing her forehead and dropping her over the edge.

In the centre of the darkened room lay a broken body her blood pooled around her still frame. The beloved Koorime looked to have been thrown from a great height, her sweet mouth opened in a scream, and her eyes wide with fear.

**Inuyasha's 'trial'**

Inuyasha took the fifth door and as he entered he recognised the scene. This was back when the Dark Priestess Tsubaki had placed her curse on Kagome using the shards of the Shikon no Tama.

Kagome's eyes were glazed over, and he could see the place where the shards of the Shikon no Tama had entered her body. She had her bow drawn and an arrow ready to kill him. "I will kill you, Inuyasha!" She shouted. That made Inuyasha pause. That wasn't right. Last time Kagome was telling him to run. "I will kill you, despicable half breed!" With that she fired the bolt, and Inuyasha barely dodged the attack. This wasn't the Kagome that he knew and he was afraid. The Kagome he knew wouldn't act like this. He knew that he had two choices; he could fight, and possibly kill, her or he could run. He then made the decision to run. He couldn't do anything dead, and the moment that he reached the door, Kagome shot another arrow at him. Barely making it out in time, Inuyasha could hear Kagome scream in agony and he then knew what had happened.

Leaving the room had caused Kagome's death, and when he moved to enter the room again, he found himself outside in the corridor with Yusuke and Hiei. It seemed that some of their party was still in their trials, including Kagome. So Inuyasha, too, waited.

**Touya's 'trial'**

The ice Shinobi entered the sixth room, his boots crunching over glass and rubble. He knew this place. He had been held captive here. He remembered his stepfather sending him here after his mother had died. Like Yusuke and Inuyasha he was half human, his parent demon having been a male ice apparition. This was his cell… his room as his captors called it. However his cell door was open, almost as if it were deliberately left so, but Touya took the chance and fled the cell.

It didn't take the captors long before they sent dogs after him. Touya hated them even more than the humans that held him captive, and their excited barking made him run faster, until he realised that the dogs were 'herding' him somewhere. However when he realised that, it was too late, four strong hands grabbed the hanyou and dragged him into the room he had stopped outside of. "My, you never learn, does you?" the chief captor said with a nasty grin as the two men accompanying him held him to the table, the chief removing his captive's clothing. "Your father said I could do anything to you if you tried to escape again, now can you imagine what that is?" Touya whimpered as he tried to curl up to make his body as inaccessible as possible. "Boys." The other two forced Touya to straighten out as the chief approached, dropping his pants. "Don't worry, Touya, this will be fun… for me that is."

(Due to submission requirements, this part of the fanfic is cut out. See my profile where the fic is also posted)

On the floor lay a lifeless body, thoroughly used and abused. The third victim to his own nightmares.

**-Intermission-**

Kagotsuchi watched in fascination as the next three's worst nightmares cane to fruition. One lived and two died. He had never known that the rooms would be so… perfect; Six down and two to go. He couldn't wait to see what Youko Kurama and the witch dreamed of.

**-End Intermission-**

Youko Kurama took the seventh door and entered it with the grace any would have expected of the proud kitsune. In there he watched as Shuichi raised a dagger into the air and brought it down, and spilled blood, the blood of the remaining members of the Youko tribe, the remaining members of his people, and they weren't even fighting him… somehow he must have drugged them. "Come along, Youko Kurama, you're next." Shuichi said as he allowed a flare of youki to entrap Kurama, however Kurama wasn't that stupid. He avoided the attack, using his own youki to entrap the red kitsune, or at least disarm him.

Once that had been done, Kurama approached him. "Don't forget that you are part of this race, Shuichi. Kill yourself if you want to be rid of the Youko blood because as long as you live, the Youko blood will survive." With that Youko Kurama passed him, leaving the bloody ground, and finding the exit to his room. He had treated Shuichi with his usual cold touch. His goal was to free Shuichi, not to bow down to a nightmare that was impossible to have happened.

Leaving the room he saw that he was one of four to have left. "Where are the others?" He asked as he approached Hiei and Yusuke. "Aren't they out yet?" Yusuke shook his head.

"Not yet… I hope that nothing bad has happened to them." He said as Hiei whimpered in his sleep. "Because if something has happened to them, I wouldn't like to be Kagotsuchi when Hiei has awoken."

**Kagome's 'trial'**

Seeing that she was alone made Kagome enter the last door and she found herself in a meadow. She looked in her hand and saw the Shikon no Tama, beautiful and whole, in her hand. She was going to give it to Inuyasha; after all he wanted to be human. 'Wait a moment!' Kagome thought. 'This isn't me! This is Kikyo!' However even that revelation didn't stop her movements; it was as though she was compelled to follow the history. From nowhere she felt claws rip through her body.

"Thanks, Kikyo, you know I never wanted to become human." However Kagome pulled in all her willpower and shouted that she wasn't Kikyo, making Naraku laugh.

"I will kill you, Naraku!" She shouted and fired a sacred arrow which penetrated the demon's body and killed him, the dead hand dropped the Shikon no Tama, and then Kagome then died too.

The miko's body lay in a pool of her own blood, holding a pebble the size of the Sacred Jewel in her right hand.

**-After the trials-**

After waiting a further hour and still no sign of the others, they opened the doors on their side to see their other companions dead in the rooms. Hiei growled when he saw his sweet sister's body lying like a discarded doll on the floor. Hiei was in agony, but nothing could be changed now. Yusuke looked around the others. "Retrieve the bodies. Nothing can be done at the moment, but we need to get to our living friends." Yusuke didn't mean to sound so insensitive but the dead was just that; dead. They couldn't come back and help them, not unless they had help from Koenma. "Now, come on. The others have to be around here somewhere." Yusuke said as he started up the corridor.

The others had to think on it for a while. Only Hiei knew why Yusuke was acting like this, and he explained what Yusuke was feeling to the others, and leaving the others leaned against the wall the others followed Yusuke up the corridor. The sooner they freed the others, the sooner they could return to their fallen comrades and get out of the fortress.

**END CHAPTER**

* * *

Author's Note: I take it that 'Youko Kurama' means Kurama of the Youko, I took this from when Raizen was once mentioned as 'Toushin Raizen' which, again, I took to mean Raizen of the Toushin. If I am wrong I do apologise. 

I am coming close to the fic, there isn't much left to do, just to save the others' asses. Roll on fic three of the series!


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